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Liz Harwood’s passion is rewarded with high praise from her peers

Wed, 05/11/2016 - 12:15pmadmin1

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By Mark DeLap Managing Editor

“When I went off to college, I thought that the logical thing to do would be to major in music,” said Kasson-Mantorville middle school band teacher, Liz Harwood. It’s hard to tell if logic really had anything to do with her decision, but last month, that decision was affirmed as she was chosen as the “Teacher of the Year.”

Harwood went back to where it all started as she explained, “I love kids and grew up in a family of educators. I also discovered that music is where I was most successful. My mother was a music teacher and my father was a professor at the local University (Dakota State University – Madison, SD).

“They both taught me piano lessons and were really mentors to me both as parents and musicians. They helped and shaped where I wanted to go.”

Being mentored by loving parents can greatly influence the way a teacher teaches. The style tends to be more hands-on, taking on the role of a teaching parent themselves. The craft is more “passed down” than just “shared.” Harwood’s

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